There may well still be a week or so to go until you can start opening your Christmas calendar but the battle for most sentimental TV AD of the year is already in full swing.

And, while the likes of John Lewis and Sainsbury’s have been relentlessly pulling at heartstrings across the UK, an ad for Spain’s El Gordo Christmas Lottery might just have trumped the lot in the seasonal schmaltz stakes.

In late November lottery fever starts to spread across Spain in anticipation of the El Gordo draw which takes place in Madrid on December 22.

The vast majority of the country take part, and it’s no surprise as the annual raffle offers a prize pool of £1.6 billion, making it by far the biggest lottery in the world.

The AD, animated in a style similar to that used by Pixar, features ‘Justino’ a lonely security guard working nights at a mannequin factory. His only company are the factory’s dummies and, in a bid to relieve the loneliness of those long nights, he begins using them to leave messages for the factory’s daytime staff.

You can watch the AD here - make sure you have a box of tissues handy though.

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As well as being shown on TV and cinemas across Spain, the AD has become a worldwide social media sensation.

Do you think it’s even more heart-warming than John Lewis’ ‘Man on the Moon’ ad? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

What a dummy: Justino making pals in emotive El Gordo ad

UK players can now bet on the £1.6 billion El Gordo at Lottoland.

While eager Spaniards will be queueing for hours to get their ticket for the El Gordo draw UK players can get involved in this annual festive bonanza by betting on the outcome at Lottoland.

The incredible raffle boasts the highest odds of winning a prize of any lottery of just 1 in 6 and odds of only 1 in 100, 000 of winning one of the many million+ jackpots.

Join Lottoland now for your chance to enter and you’ll also get a free bet on the outcome of the next EuroMillions draw.